Tips for Retail Businesses to Avoid Curbside Congregations:

For businesses that are open and providing curbside or takeout retail services, here are some tips you can follow to make sure that your customers don’t congregate in groups outside to follow social distancing. Law enforcement has issued tickets to businesses, so we want to make sure our members aren’t negatively impacted.

1. Put up flyers to remind people to wear masks and social distance while waiting outside. 2. Use chalk on the sidewalk to mark places where individuals/household units can stand.3. Ask staff to remind customers to socially distance while waiting outside, or schedule appointments for pick-ups.

Guidance for Bars and Restaurants:

For Bars and Restaurants:The Mayor’s Office of Nightlife created a printable poster for you to hang in your business to remind patrons to take out, not hang out. Download the poster here.Bars and restaurants are allowed to be open for take-out/delivery only.On-premises licensees can sell alcohol for off-premises consumption Bars and restaurants should adopt policies that promote social distancing for waiting patrons and cannot exceed 50% of capacity for patrons waiting inside the premises. While bars and restaurants are allowed to operate take-out windows onto the sidewalk for alcohol, congregating and consuming alcohol on the sidewalk is not permitted. While patrons are responsible for practicing social distancing while waiting for food and/or alcohol, bars and restaurants should adopt policies that promote social distancing and should also arrange to:

Manage lines to allow for social distancing

If there’s a take-out window onto the sidewalk, allow for enough space for those passing by to practice social distancing

Ensure that there is no congregating/gathering outside of the take-out window

When adopting policies related to face coverings and social distancing, bars and restaurants must offer reasonable accommodations to customers with disabilities and should follow the guidance of the New York City Commission on Human Rights for “Public Accommodations Protections,” found here.